Homemade “Coffee”
Joe.
Java.
Liquid Gold.
Cup of Sunshine.
Make Me Function Stuff.
Coffee.
- 54% – Americans over 18 who drink coffee daily
- 35% – Americans who prefer their coffee black
- 60% – Americans who claim they need a cup to start the day
- 18 Billion – Money spent yearly on coffee in the US
- $164.71 – Average amount money spent on coffee each year by coffee drinkers
Yeah, I’d say that coffee is pretty big business. I have always been happy to be a part of that business. How do I take my coffee? I fall into the 65% who add cream and sugar (well…I used to, that is).
When an allergist told me that I was allergic to over 70 different things, I was completely devastated. Devastated is putting it lightly; I can’t even put into words how I felt for a few days. A real shocker to me on that list…our good friend coffee.
68% – Amount of US coffee drinkers that have a cup within the first hour of waking up.
Yes, that was me.
Now, I’ve since learned that I am NOT allergic to over 70 things (thank goodness)! I am quite prone to allergies (which manifest as horrific eczema in my skin), as my immune system hasn’t been functioning properly. I am still on a journey to figure out exactly what my root issues are, but I may never really know. I do know that for quite some time now I have been practicing *real* food and *real* skincare habits to heal myself from BOTH the outside in AND the inside out…and it is working. My gut health was atrocious, and with the many changes I have made in my life, slowly…I am healing.
Back to coffee…
I do still stay away from coffee most of the time (only splurging on occasions with friends and my parents, who are big coffee drinkers). I have actually replaced my coffee with a delicious new treat…a Homemade “Coffee!” There are only three required ingredients to make this coffee.
Dandelion Root
The pesky, yellow, weedy flower that grows in my yard each spring, summer, and lasts often through the fall…yes, that’s the one. This stuff grows like crazy where I live, so I cannot wait to start harvesting this year! Our lovely neighbors are even going to chip in and help supply me. Yay!
Dandelion is known for having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective properties (which basically means that it helps the liver). For someone like me who has an unhealthy gut, this is a dream weed!
I have been purchasing my organic dandelion root online, but of course, I’ll be harvesting and roasting it myself this summer. If you want to buy some now, you can find it here.
Roasted Chicory Root
Chicory has actually been harvested and used as a coffee substitute for years, especially in tough economic times when coffee was considered a luxury (times of war, the Great Depression, etc). It is still used today in the typical strongly brewed coffee of New Orleans!
Chicory has shown properties similar to dandelion root- hepatoprotective and improved gut function in general. I purchase my roasted chicory root online; you can find some here.
| Homemade “Coffee” |
|
| Bring water just to a boil. Add your “coffee.”Let it percolate and do its thing for 5 minutes or so. Strain out the dandelion and chicory, leaving a lovely, rich, earthy, fragrant cup of “Joe.”
*Or, I use my tea infusing spoon and just leave it in my cup (see picture). I bought one at my local health food store, or search online here. It just gets more rich as I drink it. Yum! *Or, use your french press; possibly even your coffeemaker, although I’m not sure it will percolate long enough. |
Does this “coffee” have caffeine? No, it does not. However, I’m not convinced that this is a bad thing. I will admit, it took me a few days to transition off of my old coffee, and it wasn’t fun, but now I feel great. I believe that this “coffee” is helping to heal my gut, which is excellent.
So, if you do not have an allergy which prevents you from drinking coffee or if you have no desire to leave your old coffee, I still encourage you to give this a try. It is a great treat in the morning, afternoon, or evening. I am drinking a cup right now (with 1 t of carob powder and 1 T of coconut oil). Super yum! Maybe I’ll use cinnamon in my cup tomorrow morning. The possibilities are endless. Until next time…
xoxo,
Jess, aka Scratch Mommy
Statistics were gathered here.
This post was shared at- Weekend Wrap Up Party, Sweet Saturday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, Farm Girl Blog Fest, Farm Girl Friday Blog Hop, Wildcrafting Wednesday, LHITS, Simple Living Wednesday.
This might be a nice substitute for coffee later on in the day when you don’t need or want the caffeine. Thanks!
Very interesting, I was just talking the other day about how chicory is sometimes used as a coffee substitute, but I didn’t have a recipe. Now I am still on the fence, after much research, as to whether coffee is actually bad for your health. But it is nice to know there is an alternative, does it taste like coffee?
Hi Sherri,
I am still on the fence with coffee, too. I’ve read the good, I’ve read the bad. I guess maybe it’s like anything else…moderation is key?
No, this doesn’t taste just like coffee, so if you go into a cup expecting to have literally a substitute for coffee (in that it tastes the same), you’ll be disappointed. It does taste similar…just more earthy and rich. The taste has grown and grown on me…I look forward to each cup throughout the day.
Let me know if you try it. Thanks for the comment!